Harold Perrineau

An accomplished actor who has graced the stage, screen, and television, Harold Perrineau has earned a well-deserved reputation as a performer willing to take on any role.

Perrineau is currently starring on stage in Suzan Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Topdog/Underdog being directed by Geoge Wolf at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Topdog/Underdog is the story of two blood brothers - Lincoln (Perrineau), a cardshark and Abraham Lincoln impersonator, and Booth (Larry Gilliard Jr.), student of the three card monty con game. The Seattle Times calls Perrineau's performance "riveting…his rendition of a morbidly mournful blues tune is a sad-funny high point." He will also star in this play in San Francisco from October 5th-November 16th and Los Angeles during the month of February and March 2004.

In addition to his role in The Matrix Reloaded, Perrineau most recently appeared on the big screen in Woman on Top opposite Penelope Cruz. He also starred in Malcolm D. Lee's The Best Man opposite Taye Diggs and Nia Long. For this role, he received an Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. Additionally, Perrineau received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Rashid Cole in Wayne Wang's critically acclaimed feature Smoke.

On television, Perrineau is best known for his role as the wheelchair bound Augustus Hill on HBO's critically acclaimed prison drama OZ created by Tom Fontana. His other television credits include: NBC's movie of the week An American Tempest, as well as roles on Dead Like Me, ER, Law & Order, The Cosby Show, and the critically acclaimed I'll Fly Away.

Perrineau began his career in theater, where he acted in a number of shows including Dreamgirls, Avenue X, the Off-Broadway revival of Godspell and The Love of Bullets at the Public Theater. Most recently, he garnered critical acclaim in Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange where he starred as a young man who received the diagnosis of a borderline personality disorder.

A native of Brooklyn, Perrineau studied music and theatre at the Shenandoah Conservatory. He also studied on scholarship at the Alvin Ailey Company.